[Katydid77]

So, I just hit a two month plateau where it took me the full two months to drop 2 lbs. It was antagonizing and, though I hit ups and downs, I really felt like I did fine and stayed strong thru it.

Well, now (after the fact) I find that I'm hitting a bit of a mental wall. It's almost like I'm rebelling against the structure of having to watch every bite of food/ count every calorie/ be responsible for all my choices.

I am not binging or feeling 'down' per se I just find myself removing my thoughts from diet.

I am not being as hardcore as I was during the two month stall.

What do ya'll do when you hit that wall?

Was there a point in your diet you had to reenergize your approach?

What worked for you?

[alaskanlaughter]

ive been sitting between 180-185 for MONTHSSSSS, maybe even a year now, i'm not sure....and while it's discouraging I am also at the lowest weight I've seen in my entire adult life....my mental block comes from that, from being at my lowest weight...and I FEEL sexy and confident, fit and healthy, and from there comes "well if I already feel terrific, why push myself to feel even hungrier etc to get to a lower weight?"....and cutting calories (no matter what macros i'm eating) will always lead to feeling starveddd

I read once where kaplods said "even if you're not losing, at least you're not gaining" or something like that...and that helps me stay committed to what i'm doing right now with eating and working out...because even if I never lose more weight, I also don't ever want to go back to being 50 pounds heavier

[irishcanary]

Thats a good way to look at things

[emurph]

I'm right there with you.

Right now, for as shallow as it is, my motivation to not totally leap off the wagon is that fall clothes will start coming out soon and I want to be happy with how they fit me. I work best in the short term, so knowing that I will shortly be able to reap the rewards of being smaller is helping me push through the current blah feeling I'm experiencing.

[changeforme]

one of my friends is on a 7 month stall - when I ask her how she stays strong she comes back to the 'at least i'm not gaining' thing. i'm not sure i'd be that strong but I really hope I will be because I know a little stall will fall into every journey.

maybe try changing the focus? it's not losing weight it's training for a longer run or heavier weights or a new sport?

[tehshort1]

I've been feeling that way this month. As soon as I hit the 160s it seems like I am having to work so much harder than I did at first and I haven't really had the time with work. The last 30 is killing me!

My re-energizing is to look at old pictures of myself at my heaviest and take out my old size 22 work pants. Then I realize that I've come so far that it's okay to slow down and just appreciate where I am now. That helps me stick to it and keep on track. I DO NOT want to go backwards.

Always remember, it was the tortoise that won in the end. Slow and steady, not so fast that you yoyo and lose in the end.

[betsy2013]

I thought I was in a plateau until I realized that I was just eating more. I'm not saying this is what you're doing -- just what happened with me. But I realized that what was causing it was the need to mentally get back in the game. You asked what we've done to make that happen. Here's some tricks I've been using:

1) Make out a list of all the things you can do now that you couldn't do before and ask yourself if you want to go back to the old ways.
2) Buy a bunch of new clothes or one really fantastic outfit in a size that is currently too small for you.....and make it a goal to get into it by a certain date.
3) Take pictures of yourself throughout your journey and when you're mentally stalled, look at the current ones compared to your old self.
4) Make out your meal plans in advance, and for every day that you stick to plan, set aside a certain amount (doesn't have to be much -- $1-5 is fine) with the intent that when you hit goal, the money is for something special.
5) Start keeping a journal every day. Doesn't have to be long -- a paragraph or so will do. But record the date and your weight and what's significant. I found that in looking back over it, I realized that there have been lots of ups and down, but the overall trend is that I'm 57 pounds lighter than at the beginning of the year.
6) Set a weight loss goal for each month -- a realistic one. If you make it, great. If not, you probably didn't gain.

Hope those help. Cherry pick or add some of your own. And good luck with it. I truly feel that 90% of getting healthy is the mental side of things.

[luckymommy]

I wish I could give myself an occasional day off from counting calories and working out but I can't. That doesn't work for me.....I'd end up bing eating...but if you can give yourself a day off where you can eat like a normal person and you know that you're going to have a day like this (or even one regular meal where you just eat and not count), then I say try it. What I do though now is remind myself that counting calories and working out are just as important as brushing, flossing, water picking and rinsing my teeth with Listerine. The idea is that even though not everyone needs to be meticulous, some of us do and that's just how it is.

Don't get me wrong, I get SO sick of it sometimes, but what I really dislike more is being heavier.

Right now, I"m trying to focus on 2 lbs. at a time and also, I'm really looking forward to my thighs getting smaller (they're usually the last to go as I'm a pear shape). Those things keep me focused and on track...at least for now. Also, I have to attend a wedding in August and I wanna look good in my beautiful dress.

I hope you can find a way to create a balance....you were so strong to stick it out for two months like that! Most people would have thrown in the towel. It's great that you posted this very good question and I hope some of the answers will motivate you to keep plugging along in this lifetime endeavor.

[Katydid77]

Thanks everyone!

I see so much learned wisdom in all that ya'll shared.

I think on my end it is partly a true stall and the other side of the coin is that I simply may not be keeping as true to 'deficit' as I should. Bodies are naturally resistant to losing weight, and if I give mine any 'let up' it's going to be willing to take it and stay at constant.

Actually today, I am mentally SO much better. I woke up a bit renewed (though I would stand back from saying there was a total renewal or anything) but I did feel good and I could appreciate where I have come.

Also, 3 different people commented that I looked like I have lost a lot of weight, and that was a big NSV for me.

Now I have two glorious days off from work, to allow myself some recovery time, and let myself center again.

Thank you all for your insight.

You are all right. It's all being honest with what I am doing, not expecting miracles just nature to take it's course, AND enjoying EVERY pound I lose and not just the final 'goal' pound.

Thank you all

[Missy Krissy]

Originally Posted by alaskanlaughter

ive been sitting between 180-185 for MONTHSSSSS, maybe even a year now, i'm not sure....and while it's discouraging I am also at the lowest weight I've seen in my entire adult life....my mental block comes from that, from being at my lowest weight...and I FEEL sexy and confident, fit and healthy, and from there comes "well if I already feel terrific, why push myself to feel even hungrier etc to get to a lower weight?"....and cutting calories (no matter what macros i'm eating) will always lead to feeling starveddd

I read once where kaplods said "even if you're not losing, at least you're not gaining" or something like that...and that helps me stay committed to what i'm doing right now with eating and working out...because even if I never lose more weight, I also don't ever want to go back to being 50 pounds heavier

^This. Big time.

[Radiojane]

I've been bouncing in the same ten pounds since February, but the mental wall has come in the last few weeks, and I think it's just our psyches saying "hey, give me a break!!" As long as you've reached the point where you can intuitively maintain, that break is ok.